By Gail Nobles

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Do you remember Stephanie Mills in the Broadway play, The Wiz? It was the African American Wiz before the movie The Wiz starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. Now there is a live production of the 1975 Broadway musical, “The Wiz”, which put a modern spin on the classic “Wizard of Oz” tale with a cast of only African-American actors. I love the cast and the costumes already even though I haven’t seen the musical yet.

The singer Ne-Yo is the Tin Man. Shanice Williams is Dorothy Gale. Stephanie Mills is Auntie Em. David Alan Grier is The Cowardly Lion. Mary J. Blige is Evillene. Elijah Kelley is the scarecrow. Uzo Aduba is Glinda the Good. I’m a little puzzled, but Queen Latifah is the Wiz. However, I’m sure she’ll do a great job playing the Wiz because she’s a great actress.

I always wanted to see Stephanie Mills play in the movie The Wiz of 1978 as Dorothy. However, Diana Ross got the part to play Dorothy. The good news is Stephanie Mills will have a part in The Wiz Live as Auntie Em.